B.C. paramedics union, employer reach tentative agreement
CTV
B.C.'s ambulance paramedics and their employer have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, both sides announced Saturday afternoon.
B.C.'s ambulance paramedics and their employer have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, both sides announced Saturday afternoon.
Members of Ambulance Paramedics of BC have been working without a contract since their last collective agreement with the Health Employers Association of BC expired on April 1.
A joint statement from the two organizations indicates that a deal was reached late Friday night with the assistance of mediator Vince Ready.
"Out of respect for the ratification process, which requires both parties to take the tentative agreement back to their respective members to ensure broad-based support, the parties have committed to keeping the details of the tentative agreement confidential and will not be releasing any details publicly at this time," the statement reads.
Union president Troy Clifford hailed the tentative agreement in his own statement.
"We’ve worked tirelessly with the government and the employer to address our members’ and services' most important issues and bring significant improvements to the ambulance service,” he said.
“This new agreement will help secure a significant foundation for improvement for paramedic services in B.C. and one that acknowledges the uniqueness of our service and challenges for our profession. This is a giant step towards providing the appropriate level of care to our patients across B.C.”
